Students can practice vocabulary words on quizlet at https://quizlet.com/_6kxwed

 

See below for the letter that will be going home in students’ folders this week.

Students can practice Math vocabulary words on Quizlet at https://quizlet.com/_6iufg2

 

CLASS BLOG POST 4/15/19

Parents,

We have a short week this week. I will be at school on Monday and Thursday only. I will be out and have limited availability on Tuesday and Wednesday, as my daughter will be recovering from surgery. If you need immediate assistance during those days, please call the front office (252-689-6744).

Report cards went home on Friday. Please sign and return these. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns

 

This week…

English Language Arts

There will be no vocabulary/spelling words this week.

We will continue to read EOG passages for the first 45 minutes of ELA – answer comprehension questions, break the passage into smaller sections (chunk/chew) and discuss/summarize these sections, and build vocabulary specific to this passage.

We will also read Chapters 3 and 4 of Treasure Island. Our morphology lesson will be reviewing the prefixes Im- and In- and defining words that have these prefixes.

Last week, students completed NCCheckins for Math and ELA. This week, students will take their final iReady diagnostic tests in ELA and Math.

Math

We will continue practicing identifying different angles (straight, right, obtuse, acute) and also identifying how many of each angle different geometric shapes have.

Science

Students will be reading about the Nervous System this week: how the parts of the nervous system work together and how the nervous system controls the body.

Social Studies

We will look at our first presidency this year in the lesson on George Washington, specifically how George Washington’s presidency influenced the future of the US political system.

Folders

Folders will not go home  this week. Students will not have fluency passages or comprehension questions due to the short week.

 

CLASS BLOG POST 4/8/19

Parents,

 

Some things to take notes of this week:

 

1. Spring picture forms are due by Thursday AM (first thing). Students who do not pre-pay for Spring pictures will not have pictures taken.
2. We have had some problems (in all grade-levels) with blankets, hoodies, little backpacks, etc. They have become distracting. Please ask students to leave blankets at home. Students are allowed to have their little backpacks, but our classroom rule is to have them hung up with other bookbags. If they need a “safe” area, I have offered for students to keep them at my desk. We want the best learning environment for all students, and we lose at least 10-20 minutes of valuable learning time each morning.
3. Our first 45 minutes of ELA is designated to close-reading of EOG passages, testing strategies, and building vocabulary. Please ask students about different strategies they are learning with their ELA passages! This past week, we read “Animals and Rabies” and learned a bunch of new vocabulary words! We have started keeping an EOG vocabulary word book to record all these new vocabulary words we are using.
4. Please remind students to bring back folders daily. Please also remind students to keep these in good condition, as they will be reused.
5. Yearbooks are $20 and due by April 12th.
6. The classroom is in need of Kleenex and Clorox wipes, if you feel compelled to donate. We appreciate it.
7. Our Student of the Month for March is Anthony Pena-Gavidia. Anthony works hard each day, offers great insight in our daily discussions, and always makes us laugh. Keep up the great work, Anthony!

 

English Language Arts

We have officially begun Treasure Island! We’re learning a lot about the time in which this novel was written and a lot about pirates (or buccaneers)! There’s a lot of vocabulary in this unit due to there being a lot of Tier 3 vocabulary words and lots of maritime-specific vocabulary (especially parts of ships).

 

We are creating character charts of each character we meet by writing down what we remember about each one: actions, physical descriptions, etc.

 

We will continue to practice the root word “bio” meaning “life” and look at different words that use this root word, their meanings, and how to use them in sentences.

 

Below are this week’s vocabulary words. Students can practice these words on quizlet at https://quizlet.com/_6fb2xk

 

Vocabulary Words from Treasure Island

Test 4/12/19

Word	Meaning
Ensue (v)	To follow right after another event (ensued)
Scarper (n)	To flee or run away
Bulk (n)	Most; the larger part of something
Ransack (v)	To search thoroughly, causing damage or disorder
Impending (adj)	About to happen or occur
Captivate (v)	To fascinate or capture one’s attention
Brim (v)	To become full or overflowing
Maroon (v)	To abandon someone on an island
Predicament (n)	A difficult or dangerous situation
Stun (v)	To shock or amaze

 

Math

We will be moving on to defining and identifying angles – obtuse, right, and acute angles. We will also be learning how to draw different angles.

 

Science

We will read about the Skeletal System this week, including why bones are important and what function they serve to support survival

 

Social Studies

This week’s lesson will be on the Bill of Rights: what are they, how they calmed people’s fears of a strong, central government, and how they protect personal freedom.

 

Folders

Students will have fluency passages this week as well as comprehension questions which are due on Friday 4/12/19. Please remind students to bring their folders back daily.

CLASS BLOG POST 4/1/19

Parents,

You may have heard from students that they are going to Mrs. Gray or Mrs. Davids in the morning each day for 45 minutes. Each student (with the exception of three) is being pulled out for 45 minutes for corrective reading instruction with either Mrs. Davids or Mrs. Gray. This is an incredible opportunity for intensive, small group instruction, and we are really excited about the results we hope to see!

Class DoJo points: I will be clearing out DOJO points this week/allowing students to cash in their bucks for different incentives or treasure box prize. We are hoping to have a school DOJO store opening this week, so I’d like for students to start fresh. IF you have an updated phone number, please let me know so I can add you to Class Dojo.

Read Alouds: We are about halfway through  Winn Dixie.

English Language Arts

During the first part of the week, students will be practicing the suffixes -able and -ible and will take their Unit 7 assessment. Once we have finished the assessment, we will begin our LAST CKLA unit: Treasure Island! We will be discussing the elements of an adventure story and begin mapping out characters as we meet them.

In addition to Treasure Island, we will be reading different passages each morning and really working with small groups of vocabulary words to help build up vocabulary and, ultimately, comprehension. This will be a huge focus moving forward.

We will introduce the root word “bio” meaning “life” and look at different words that use this root word, their meanings, and how to use them in sentences.

There are no spelling or vocabulary words this week, as we are closing out one unit and beginning a new one.

Math

Last week we began working on determining area and perimeter. We will continue area and perimeter this week with not only rectangles and squares, but triangles, as well. Once we have mastered this skill, we will be moving on to lines and angles.

Science

We have actually completed all of our units for science. We will not be looking ahead at units students will see in 5th grade, beginning with body systems. This week, we’ll be learning about the cardiovascular system.

Social Studies

This week’s lesson will be on the Articles of Confederation, how our government was built, important laws, etc.

Folders

Students will have fluency passages this week as well as comprehension questions which are due on Friday 4/5/19. Please remind students to bring their folders back daily.

 

YEARBOOKS are $20. If you would like to purchase a yearbook, please send in $20.00 with your student. The last day is order a yearbook is April 12th. If you need a new order sheet, please let me know, and I’ll be glad to send one home.

 

Classroom needs: We are running low on Kleenex and Lysol/Clorox wipes. If you feel compelled, our classroom would greatly appreciate any donations! Thanks for all you do for our class!

 

Spring Break is Friday, April 19th – Friday, April 26th.

Parents,

Epic! Last week we began using a program called Epic! While I like to think I have a pretty diverse and relatively large classroom library, this allows students to access thousands of books they might not find at home or in class. Students can access Epic! using a tablet, computer, or smartphone using the classroom code. I’ll be sending a letter home this week with directions on how to access Epic! at home.

Read Alouds: Last week, we started back with read alouds. We initially stopped this (to my disappointment) to adjust to schedule changes and curriculum. However, I have found a way to include it in our daily schedule. We started reading Because of Winn-Dixie, which tends to be a favorite among this age group. I have a feeling we will all be crying by the end of the novel!

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar. Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends, and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship-and forgiveness-can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

 

English Language Arts

Students will have spelling words, which are posted to the right. Their test will be on Friday, 3/29/19. Students need only to know how to spell words for this test. I understand these are not the easiest words for 4th graders. Our curriculum, Core Knowledge, is at least one grade-level higher than where students are and aims to raise the bar for students. I recommend practicing 15-20 minutes each night (versus just one night).

 

Spelling Words

Easily	Greasy	Immobile	Imperfect
Impossible	Inflexible	Insufficient	Intolerable
Loudly	Noisy	Tasty	Temporarily

 

This week, we begin looking at different battles fought during the American Revolution, how the French coming to the aid of the Continental Army influenced the outcome of the war, talking about different heroes and “villains” of the American Revolution, and learn about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and its connection to the American Revolution.

Students will begin working with words that have the suffixes -able and -ible — both meaning “able to” and will use what they know about this prefixes to define various words and use them correctly in sentences.We will close up Unit 7: The American Revolution before Spring Break. Our last unit is a literature unit – Treasure Island.

Math

Over the last week, we’ve been working on time and money. This week, we’ll be working on problems that involve liquid volume, length, and mass.

Science

We are beginning a new unit on Earth and Moon Cycles. This week’s lesson will be on Moon Cycles. Questions we’ll consider: how our view of the moon’s surface changes and how it stays the same, why the surface of the moon always appears the same to us on Earth, and how telescopes help enhance our understanding of the moon.

Social Studies

Students will be moving on to the lesson “Fighting for Independence” which coincides with our ELA readings. We’ll look at the Battle of Bunker Hill, tactics Americans used to fight the British, how other countries impacted the outcome of the American Revolution, and how civilian colonists impacted the American Revolution.

Folders

Students will have fluency passages this week as well as comprehension questions which are due on Friday 3/29/19. Thanks for all you do with your students and for helping remind them to bring their folders in. I’m seeing a big difference of folders returned daily!

YEARBOOKS are $20. If you would like to purchase a Yearbook, please send in $20.00 with your student. The last day is order a yearbook is April 12th. If you need a new order sheet, please let me know, and I’ll be glad to send one home.

Classroom needs: We are running low on Kleenex and Lysol/Clorox wipes. If you feel compelled, our classroom would greatly appreciate any donations! Thanks for all you do for our class!

Spring Break is Friday, April 19th – Friday, April 26th

 

Parents,

Just a reminder that Monday (3/18/19) is an early release day. Students will release at 12:00. Please make arrangements if your child is a car rider or if they attend Boys/Girls Club.

ELA
Students will have spelling words, which are posted below. Their test will be on Friday, 3/22/19. Students need only to know how to spell words for this test.

Last week, we talked about tensions leading up to the Revolutionary War, specifically different taxes imposed by the British, lack of colonial representatives in Parliament, and the formation of the Sons of Liberty. We talked about the Boston Massacre as well as the Boston Tea Party, and how these events led to the start of the American Revolution. We are looking at a lot of different causes/effects in this nonfiction unit.

This week, we’ll continue to look at different causes and effects of events leading up to the American Revolution, specifically the impact of speeches/propaganda, the effect of the Boston Tea Party and Boston Massacre,  and who seemed more likely to win the war at the beginning.

Students will begin working with words that have the prefixes im- and in- — both meaning “not” and will use what they know about this prefixes to define various words and use them correctly in sentences.

Math
Over the last week, we’ve been working on converting measurements. This week, we’ll be working on problems that involve time and money. A parent letter will be sent home in folders this week.

Science
We are beginning a new unit on Earth and Moon Cycles. This week’s lesson will be on the cycles of day and night. We’ll talk about how the Earth’s rotation affects the cycle of day and night, why some parts of the Earth experience daytime while others are experiencing nighttime, and how the Earth’s rotation affects the way we view the planets, suns, and stars around us.

Social Studies 
Students will be moving on to “Britain vs. the Colonists.” Questions we will explore: What made Colonists want to fight Britain? What challenges did the French and Indian War bring for the British? How did Britain tighten control over their North American territories? What tensions continue to arise after the repeal of the Stamp Act? All of these questions support what we are currently reading in ELA.

Folders

Students WILL NOT have fluency passages/comprehension questions this week. Students have been begging for a break, and they’ve worked hard to earn a week off. Students can still continue to read nightly, but reading logs do not need to be signed this week.

REMINDER: Yearbooks are $20. If you would like to purchase a Yearbook, please send in $20.00 with your student.